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Other related messages found in our database We don't have voting machines in my little...sm
state either. It is really funny to me because the first I voted was in 1964 and I lived in New Jersey where they had voting machines even way back then. Sometimes the old ways ARE best. I lived in Hawaii for a few years and they didn't having voting machines either.
bad bad bad voting machines
www.blackboxvoting.org
There are a few documentaries on the problems with the voting machines (laughable physical security, & easily hack-able), especially the ones made by Diebold (a big Republican donator who vowed in a letter that you can see in the documentary to "deliver" the Ohio vote to the Republicans)...
There's a movement to go back to physical ballots or at least take the voting process out of the hands of private industry.
Ohio was mentioned in both the documentaries I saw as having the worst cases of voter suppression, 1 voting machine for an entire precinct, people waiting 10, 12 hours to vote. This tends to happen in largely Democratic precincts...
The voting machines is a must to make voters confident their votes are counting...sm
But the Democrat party needs to delineate what separates them from the republican party as terms of what direction they will take the country. That is definitely uncertain. The chances of them getting their voters out to the polls will be better, I think.
I love Vermont
Great state. I live near Ithaca, NY and we have lots of tree-huggers and hippies here - great place. Sometimes even "granolas." But I love "tree-hugger" the best. Sometimes people think they are insulting us with that phrase, but why is it so bad to care for the environment!
It looks like they are getting very serious about doing this. They aren't alone in this kind of talk. I think Texas and North or South Carolina have been talking this way, too.
Knew there was a reason why I love Vermont
What a great state. Besides the great skiing, they are finally joining in with what is right and giving rights to every human being in their state.
They call it worst security glitch to date in state's voting machines and a 'big deal'
By Stephanie Desmon Sun reporter
May 12, 2006
Computer security experts say they have found the worst security flaw yet in the oft-criticized touch-screen machines that Maryland voters will use in this year's elections, leaving one computer scientist to warn that the state should have stacks of paper ballots on hand in case of a complete Election Day breakdown.
The machines, made by Diebold Elections Systems, are much, much easier to attack than anything we've previously said, said Avi Rubin, a Johns Hopkins University computer science professor who first cast doubt on the reliability of the technology in a 2003 report.
On a scale of one to 10, if the problems we found before were a six, this is a 10. It's a totally different ballgame, he said.
The new problem is being described as an intentional hole left in the system to allow elections workers to update voting software easily. Instead of using pass codes or other security protocols, anyone with access to a voting machine could install new software that could easily disable a precinct full of machines, Rubin said.
Diebold officials say they are aware of the situation and, although they say any problem can be avoided by keeping a close watch on voting machines, they are developing a permanent fix.
Still, said company spokesman David K. Bear, it's one more what-if scenario. ... It's becoming somewhat ridiculous.
Maryland elections officials said they have known about the latest concerns for two weeks and will have an independent security consultant look into them next week to ensure that the state's Diebold machines are safe.
We are taking steps, said state elections administrator Linda H. Lamone. She said she is confident that the problem will have little effect in Maryland because of strict rules about who is permitted to handle voting machines in the state. Everyone that has access to them has to undergo a criminal background check, she said.
Before the Diebold machines were distributed statewide about two years ago, questions arose about whether hackers might be able to get into the automated-teller-like computers and alter their software, allowing multiple votes, vote-switching and other problems.
Computer experts, including Rubin, said security measures were insufficient and poorly designed. Activists pushed to add a paper ballot component to the machines in case a recount was needed.
Still, the state moved forward and nearly every voter in Maryland used a touch-screen machine in the 2004 presidential election. There were few complaints or problems.
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. called on the state this year to abandon its touch-screen machines, saying he had no confidence in the technology, in part because lawmakers adopted other voting changes such as early voting.
He put money into his budget to pay for optical scan machines, which were used in the state for years before 2004. The General Assembly did not approve a voting machine switch during this year's session, which ended last month.
Rubin said he fears that the latest security problem could be serious enough to cause an Election Day meltdown that could put precincts of machines out of action. He recommends that counties have a pen-and-paper alternative on hand as insurance.
Joseph M. Getty, the governor's legislative and policy director, called the newly disclosed security flaw not really a new problem.
It's the same problem of vulnerability to outsiders, he said.
Getty said the latest Diebold problem bolsters the administration's case against early voting, which was approved by the legislature last year. He said any security risk can be minimized in one day of voting but is multiplied when machines are in public use for six days.
Michael Shamos, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a Pennsylvania voting machine examiner, pushed his state, which will have a primary election next week, to lay out strict new rules for installing software and sealing machines for safety.
It's a big deal. It's a very big deal, Shamos said. The good part is it's very easy to fix. You have to repair it. You can't just do nothing. ... It's not just like leaving the key to your door under the mat. It's like leaving the key dangling from a string from the door.
The temporary fix, Shamos said, involves reinstalling the proper software just before the election, preferably in a public setting, then locking the machines to keep them from being tampered with before voting begins.
In 2004, Shamos testified on behalf of the state of Maryland in a suit filed by a citizens group asking a court to compel the state to address possible security problems and give voters the option of using paper ballots instead of the new machines. The state won.
If I had known about this problem then, I wouldn't have had good things to say, he said.
The latest security hole was discovered by Finnish computer scientist Harri Hursti, who was doing work in Utah for Black Box Voting Inc., a nonprofit group that has focused on computerized voting.
Most computer scientists don't want to disclose too many details about the problem because they fear that would provide hackers with the tools needed to cause havoc during an election. They waited many weeks before making their findings public.
We were worried the threat was so serious that if the details were to get out, someone could actually do it, Rubin said.
The financial crisis is happening NOW and has to be handled NOW. Our country is collapsing. If we do not do some sort of bail out, we all will still suffer from this. The value of the dollar will go down. It will be much much harder and pretty much impossible for some to get loans from banks. This means people won't be buying anything big like vehicles, homes, etc. That will ruin sales even more than it is now. Car companies will have to cut back on production because people can't get loans to buy. The car dealers will start closing down because you can't make money if you can't sell vehicles. Think of the jobs lost right there and that is just with vehicles.
I don't feel that we should have to foot the bill. I'm totally disgusted that our government has allowed it to get this far out of wack but we have to do something to get money back into the market. If we do nothing, the consequence will be horrific. We have to do something and we have to do something fast and that is more important than a debate especially since we have until November for elections.
why, I don't know. It could be that the post office changed our street address 4 times yet lived here since ྈ. I wasn't on the list even though I've been registered since 1988 and voted every election. All of a sudden, I had to fill out a special form to vote. Last local primary, they wouldn't let me vote and I had to re-register. Stupid!
This year I called to make sure I was registered and they said yes. Got a new registration card with the old address on it, but no trouble this year. I was #235 at 7:30 a.m.
The McCain/Palin GOP is already in the process of stealing the Ohio vote, as was done in 2004. Among those at the center of the GOP strategy is Bush Family computer operative Michael Connell, who programmed the key vote counting mechanisms that were used to give George W. Bush his second term.
Those 2 elections didn't leave a
shred of honesty in our election process. As I recall in 2000 GWB declared himself to be president before he was declared the winner wrongly. And people talk about Obama's b/c and want to know the "truth" about that. I'd like to know the truth about the 2000 and 2004 elections and then I might be willing to talk about the "truth" of O's b/c.
you mean the same way Hillary stole the elections in certain states
with those machines manufactured by people who supported her. I know New York was one of the states and I would have to research the other states.
This is why there should be no machines involved. How about paper votes. How about a piece of paper with two name and a picture of each of them next to their name. This way if you cant read english you will recognize the person. Then you have a box next to it, put an X, a check, or even fill in the box and let people handcount the votes (no chads). I'd rather wait a day or two to find out who won and know it is a legitimate vote.
2 elections stolen? baloney. Meaningless war? Go
nm
Has the country decided not to hold any more elections
Was 2008 the very last election? I thought every four years there is an election. I also thought, according to past elections, that people should not just assume someone will win. They assumed Gore would win and he didn't, they assumed Kerry would win and he did not. Hence I would not assume Obama will win a second term. If he turns out to be a good president and we still have elections in 4 years, and nothing happens between now and then, then and only then will he most likely be re-elected. But since the guy has not even been sworn in yet and made any major decisions I would not be so bold as to just go on like he's going to be in for eight years. There is that slight possibility that he could very well be a crappy president like Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter (especially with all the people he is picking for his cabinet). I know the country is ready for a change and GW hasn't been the best, but until a man serves in the office we don't know what kind of a president he will be.
Unless of course you have heard something that none of us have heard and there will never be any more elections in the future. I have heard and read that Obama is a socialist, and maybe we are heading toward the same thing Cuba faces. The leader just appoints himself to the office every time. So maybe that is what you are referring to.
Hallelujah! Leftists in EU elections across Europe are
Don't think this will go unnoticed on this side of the pond as well. Obama's numbers shriveling, the Democratic-dominated Congress even worse numbers...and the Republican gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey, of all places, is leading the Democrat incumbent by double digits in the polls. Those who crowed prematurely about the demise of conservatism are going to find that the toe tag has been switched - and they're the ones who will end up wearing it. Why? Because they got above themselves and WENT TOO FAR. It's so true, isn't it - "pride goeth before a fall".
Conservatives Racing Ahead in EU Parliamentary Elections:
'Iran does not allow international election monitors. During the 2005 election, when Ahmadinejad won the presidency, there were some allegations of vote rigging from losers, but the claims were never investigated.'
_____
When is that debate going to be held?
I agree people are fed up with politics as usual and with all the reasons you gave. I don’t understand why some people are saying Mr. Obama is running for president of the world just because he calls himself a citizen of the world. I thought he was talking about American diplomacy and trying to improve international relations. He was in Europe and I think the Europeans want to see that happen instead of war. The accusations don’t seem very important. You already know what is important to you so all you can do is listen to the debate between Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama and make up your mind about which candidate sounds like he would care about those things the most and then vote for that one. It is too bad that people think politicians are liars but sometimes the campaign managers try to make the other candidate look like a liar. I just try to believe in what the candidate says about himself and his ideas. I wish Mr. Obama would ask Hillary to join him on the ticket because she had so much support and they would make a good team.
You think expecting someone to be held
lacking compassion?? I think it's the key to life. Case in point, I read today where once again we have a major hurricane and 250,000 chose not to heed evacuation warnings. And guess what? NOW they want to be bailed out, want rescuers to risk life and limb to save them from their own bad choices. You're right, though, I suppose. While I do have much compassion for the TRULY needy, I don't think there are as many of them in this country as the numbers using programs would reflect. I don't have a lot of compassion for lazy people who think they deserve life's best handed to them on a silver platter. I know a guy who hasn't worked in years and makes more money on disability than I make slaving at my computer for 50 hours a week, and there's not a thing wrong with him. They even have the guy on video doing heavy lifting and the whole 9 yards but he still gets those checks. I guess I'll just smile and be compassionate toward him and his sorry lot in life. lol
Has the election already been held?
And the answer is - Most definitely NOT. You and your pompous dems that say Obama WILL be the next president. You don't know. Me, I don't care. Whoever gets in gets in. If its Obama fine, if its McCain fine. But the truth of the matter is the election has not been held, we still have a few weeks and nobody knows. This election is very very close. Are you planning to do something personally that is illegal that will throw the election to Obama? Even the guy who is in charge of polls (Mr. Rasmussen) said because the polls are so close that goes to show you that anything can happen. So with that said - No election yet, no winner yet!
You may say your going to write in Lou Dobbs, but I believe that is just a smoke screen to make people think you are not for Obama, but your message shows strongly who you want to win.
It's the Obama supporters who are saying he WILL be the next president, he has WON already. Then you bash McCain while in the same breathing saying McCain supporters are picking on you.
So once again let me repeat myself....no election yet, no winner yet.
They should all be held accountable s/m
Especially given Cheney's brazen admission to not only knowing about, but giving the green light on the types of torture that we used to deem punishable by death. If we as Americans don't stand up and demand accountability for these heinous acts, we are no better than the other despotic nations that allow this.
Look up the 80 year old U.S. man who is being held
He is being held there unlawfully, even though he has done nothing. He is sleeping on a hard concrete floor, dying a slow agonizing death of pneumonia with NO medical care.
Even the mayor of this small Mexican town has reviewed the situation and asked that this elderly man be returned to his country but their corrupt government won't do it. BUT, they certainly have no problem pushing them all up here for me to take care of and when tens of thousands of them end up in prison while murdering, raping, stealing, etc., we give them medical care, feed their sorry butts, and even make sure they have an education at my expense if they want one, all to the tune of billions of dollars a year.
Believe me, if that little girl's family still cannot speak English, I can almost guarantee you they are not here legally. No doubt the girl was born here, which makes her an anchor baby, and should have made her illegal as well.
All those that want to fall for that pity thing will soon find themselves without and at the mercy of a Mexican-driven society with Mexican-driven beliefs. Talk to some citizens in bordertown states and the proof is in the crap going on in their towns.
Reserves being held, yes. New oil and gas
kept quiet from everyone but the government...until the internet, of course.. These are new oil and gas finds.
The so-called reserves are held in case of emergency, so the prez and cabinet members can get out of the way of a red alert. Not for the citizens.
FactCheck.org staffers have now seen, touched, examined and photographed the original birth certificate. We conclude that it meets all of the requirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship. Claims that the document lacks a raised seal or a signature are false. We have posted high-resolution photographs of the document as "supporting documents" to this article. Our conclusion: Obama was born in the U.S.A. just as he has always said.
Lee Green did not monitor the elections, Jimmy Carter did.
Lee Green is the director of CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy on Middle East Reporting) which is a Pro-Israeli American Media Monitor. I prefer to read a book and make up my own mind and certainly am not surprised that Zionist critics would hate Carter and the truths he exposed in his book. They can protest to their heart's content, but they can't turn lies into truth.
Even under occupation, Palestine hold democratic elections,
as do Turkey and Lebanon, and those countries do not occupy any other populations.
really, how many people held the baby, 4?
The middle sister, Cindy McCain, the father, and the youngest daughter?
OMG HOW HORRIBLE!!!
Labor not held to same standard as
other parties in the negotiations, i.e., double standard. During the debates on TARP funds, aside from the parachutes, when were white collar salaries ever examined?
Bush has no say in if election will be held
You'll be the first to say he can't even read a book, but then turn around and he's suppose to be intelligent enough to be able to stop the elections. That moronian can't find his left hand from his right. Think it takes a little more brains to be able to stop an election. Whatever Bush has done it's been at the direction of the people who are over him. He's just a talking head and puppet and does whatever he's told to do.
With that said though, I believe the election should be put on hold until this mess is straightened out. I heard Lou Dobbs yesterday give both sides a good lashin. I'm tellin you, never seen anyone so mad and disgusted with both candidates for not doing what's right. Neither side got a free pass on that one. That is the way news is suppose to be. When you have one side praising up and down their candidate while trying to destroy the other (goes for both sides) that is not fair and not any news I can trust. Hold them both accountable for what they do (or don't do).
At least O held the book right-side up...... Justified Rage! . . . . .Held in!! . . .How,
please, how can you justify the rage you display here? Actually, I see more hate than rage displayed. Also, who has been holding it in for the past 8 years???? Certainly no one on this board has been guilty of holding it in.
for his hateful words. Israel now refuses to do business with him because of his bizarre remarks about Sharon. Needless to say, I was very happy to see this.
MSNBC.com
Israel pulls plug on Pat Robertson deal Officials angry over evangelical leader's comments about Sharon's stroke
The Associated Press
Updated: 8:14 a.m. ET Jan. 11, 2006
JERUSALEM - Israel won't do business with Pat Robertson after the evangelical leader suggested Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke was divine punishment, a tourism official said Wednesday, putting into doubt plans to develop a large Christian tourism center in northern Israel.
Avi Hartuv, spokesman for Israel's tourism minister, said officials are furious with Robertson's suggestion that the stroke was retribution for Sharon's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last summer. We can't accept this kind of statement, Hartuv said.
Robertson is leading a group of evangelicals who have pledged to raise $50 million to build the Christian Heritage Center in Israel's northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught.
Under a tentative agreement, Robertson's group was to put up the funding, while Israel would provide land and infrastructure. Israeli officials believe the project will generate tens of millions of tourism dollars.
But the project now is in question in light of Robertson's comments, said Hartuv.
We will not do business with him, only with other evangelicals who don't back these comments, Hartuv said. We will do business with other evangelical leaders, friends of Israel, but not with him.
A day after Sharon's stroke on Jan. 4, Robertson suggested the prime minister was being punished for dividing God's land, a reference to the August pullout from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements.
God considers this land to be his, Robertson said on his TV program The 700 Club. You read the Bible and he says 'This is my land,' and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, 'No, this is mine.'
Robertson's comments also drew condemnation from other Christian leaders and even U.S. President George W. Bush.
The ministry's decision was first reported in Wednesday's edition of The Jerusalem Post.
Christian center planned near Galilee Robertson's Christian Heritage Center was to be tucked away in 35 acres of rolling Galilee hills, near key Christian sites such as Capernaum, the Mount of the Beatitudes, where tradition says Jesus delivered the Sermon of the Mount, and Tabgha -- on the shores of the Sea of Galilee -- where Christians believe Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fish.
The project underlines how ties have strengthened in recent years between Israel and evangelical Christian groups that support the Jewish state.
Israel was considering leasing the land to the Christians for free. Tourism Minister Avraham Hirschson predicted it would annually draw up to 1 million pilgrims who would spend $1.5 billion in Israel and support about 40,000 jobs.
Hirschson, however, is one of Sharon's biggest supporters, and a member of the centrist Kadima party recently founded by the prime minister.
Hartuv left the door open to continuing the project, but only with people who don't back Robertson's statements.
We want to see who in the group supports his (Robertson's) statements. Those who support the statements cannot do business with us. Those that publicly support Ariel Sharon's recovery ... are welcome to do business with us, Hartuv said. We have to check this very, very carefully.
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Needless to say, I was very happy to see this.
MSNBC.com
